Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PANGUITCH — Moving a loved one into long-term care can be tough for a family and especially a patient. But the staff at one of Intermountain's long-term care facilities is making residents feel right at home.
"We try and keep them occupied. We have lots and lots of activities on our daily bulletin board," said Hailie Pollock, nurse manager in the long-term-care center at Garfield Memorial Hospital.
Whether they're trying their hand at basketball or kickball during an hour of ballgames, residents of Intermountain's long-term care facility at the hospital in Panguitch are kept physically stimulated.
"One of the things we strive to do is help them maintain at their current level," Pollock said.
The center also focuses on keeping residents mentally sharp. "So, we don't want them to decline. We want to keep their minds going," Pollock said.
They plan and execute service projects throughout the year and even come up with some purely social ideas to show their love for the staff at the long-term care facility.
It was the residents' idea to throw a special party in April — a baby shower for a beloved technician at the center.
Patient care technician Jessica Kellum gave birth to her son, Crew Kellum, in early May, but before she took maternity leave, the residents surprised her.
When she showed up for work, the party room was decorated in blue. Residents provided dyed blue punch and a homemade cake with beautiful blue lettering spelling out "Baby Kellum."
"There were even some residents who don't normally come out of their rooms who came out of their rooms that day to participate just for me," said Kellum.
"I got emotional and thought that was really neat. Some of the residents helped make my gifts, too," Kellum recalled.
After her baby boy was born, residents shared in the family's joy. "They're not just people I take care of every day," Kellum said, "they're people that I love that are like family to me."
In fact, Kellum can't wait to come back after her maternity leave. She said, "I get to thinking, I wonder what they're doing right now? I wonder how everybody is doing? So, yes, I do miss them very much."
It is all part of keeping these second family members feeling vibrant and needed.
Patient care technicians like Kellum are supervised by a nurse but spend the most time of any long-term care staff members with individual residents.
They are considered one of the facility's "essential" support systems.
